"Yes - Charisma arrived yesterday afternoon and you arrived tonight, or this morning, rather. And since we don't count the boys and their families because they live here, that would definitely make you the last."

"Wait... where's everybody else? I know Mother is overseas. She called and told me she would be in London over the holidays visiting an 'old friend'." Kent looked his understanding of just what kind of friend he suspected his mother was sharing the holiday with and Patrick nodded his understanding. "But where are the rest that were here for Thanksgiving? The new friends we met," not mentioning anyone by name.

"Different things came up, I guess. Kay and her family have never spent Christmas Eve or Christmas day with us - instead they have always come on the twenty-eighth... halfway between Christmas and New Year's. Charisma said that Saphira had to work and of course Esmeralda chose to stay with her." Patrick paused. "Mama really likes them."

"You don't?"

"What?? No, I do too. But you know the old saying, so as long as Mama's happy...." seeing Kent acknowledge the truth of his words. "They seemed like genuine people and it was funny to watch Saphira confound Hunter. Not many do that."

"That's true - I'd like to see the video of that."

"Pretty sure we can accommodate you," Patrick assured Kent with a smile. He tightened the last sprocket on the bike Kent held and sighed. Kent set the finished bike aside, and they moved on to the next one. He waited until Patrick had the handlebars in place before he spoke again.

"What about Brianna?"

Patrick shrugged. "I'm not sure. Mama said... Mama said Brianna was going out of town."

"You don't believe her?"

"No, I do. I just don't understand why Brianna left so suddenly. According to Mama it was a last-minute decision. I'm kind of curious as to what prompted it." Even as the words spilled from Patrick's lips, Kent found himself wondering the same thing. Then he brought his attention back to Patrick who was still speaking. "... hasn't been here for Christmas Eve in a long time, she's always shared part of the Christmas holiday with us."

"You don't think she'll share with you when she gets back?"

Patrick met Kent's eyes, and Kent could see the unhappiness. "I don't think she's coming back, Kent. Not here anyway. She told Mama goodbye."

"I don't understand."

"I'm not sure I do either. I just know what Mama said. And Mama is rarely wrong about this kind of stuff." Kent nodded and they fell silent and focused their attention on the task at hand.

************

Brianna hissed as the masseuse loosened yet another knot in her shoulders. "Dig deep, Ramon."

The big man above her smiled and added more pressure to his efforts, chuckling silently when he got a loud groan for his trouble. "Better, Ms Walker?"

"So much. I can't tell you how wonderful...."

"You do not have to - your body speaks for itself. I do not know what you have done to develop such knots of stress, but I would like to recommend that you endeavor to end such activities."

"Soon, Ramon - a year and a half or so... give or take."

"If I was you, I would give as long as I removed myself from it."

"I'll take your words under advisement."

"You do that, Miss. You will feel better for it." He shifted his attention from her shoulders to her neck and she sucked in a breath at the pain that rippled through her. Ramon lifted his hands and stepped back from the table; Brianna shifted so she could look at him. "I am sorry, Ms Walker. Would you like me to work those out or move on to something less painful for you?"

"Make them go away, Ramon. A little pain now will mean less pain later. But maybe not quite as firmly to begin with?"

He nodded and walked back to the bed, easing her with his touch and feeling her relax again under his ministrations. "So how do you like Dubai, Miss?"

"I like it very much," Brianna replied without hesitation. "It may be my first visit, but I don't think it will be my last." She chuckled and Ramon smiled in puzzlement, though he never stopped his strokes along her neck. "I may have to take you home with me, though."

"Why Miss Walker - what would my wife say?"

"Take me with you?"

This time Ramon laughed aloud and Brianna laughed as well at the joyful sound he made. When he had himself under control once more, he resumed his massage. "You have met my wife, have you?" his voice still full of mirth. "Because that sounded very much like her."

"It's what I would say to you if I was her. However, I'm not going anywhere yet. I have more than a week left here, and I plan to enjoy every single minute I've got."

"Good - you should enjoy the steam room next. It will help keep you loose."

Brianna snorted. "Any looser and I'm going to be a puddle on the floor." She sat up and wrapped herself in the sheet Ramon had covered her with. He offered her a hand to help her stand, then motioned her towards the steam room. She bobbed her thanks. "Thank you, Ramon. I can't tell you how marvelous I feel."

"Come see me again before you leave. Perhaps it will keep your shoulders from mutating into knots again."

"I have scheduled myself with you for an hour at this time every day for the rest of my stay."

Ramon nodded. "Very good, Miss. I will see you on the morrow then." Without another word, Ramon strode from the room and Brianna took a deep breath before heading in the opposite direction for the steam bath that awaited her.

************

Charisma frowned at Kent when he crossed the threshold into the kitchen late Christmas Eve morning freshly showered and shaved. She hadn't heard him come in the night before, and in fact he hadn't been in the bedroom when she had woken some time earlier. He walked over and brushed a kiss over her cheek before accepting the mug of coffee Okasa held out to him. Kent kissed her as well and moved to sit at the table.

"I'm sorry I'm so late, Mama," he started, but she waved him off before he could finish.

"Don't worry about it, Kent. Paddy told me what happened last night." She glanced at the clock. "All things considered, it's not really that late. And since the boys and their families won't be here for another few hours, it's all good."

"Wait," Charisma cut in. "What happened last night?" She looked at Kent. "Why didn't you come to bed? Or are you just now arriving?"

"Take it easy, Charisma. I got in early this morning, but then I helped Paddy put the...." He looked around carefully and didn't see Adam, but he still lowered his voice before he continued. "The bikes and things together. So it was a lot closer to daylight than dark when I finally made it upstairs. I didn't want to disturb you, so I crashed in the guest room Mother usually uses when she's here."

Charisma took a moment to really look at her husband and she frowned again. "Is everything okay?" she asked suddenly. "You look tired."

Kent smiled. "I am tired, but everything is good... really. Work is keeping me busy in a good way, of course and I still haven't caught up from last night." He turned to Okasa. "I don't know how he does that every single year."

"Lots of practice," Okasa offered with a grin. "But you'll also notice he's not downstairs at the moment. He's still in bed. I'll get him up in another couple of hours and he'll be good to go until the party's over, so to speak."

"I heard we don't have quite as many here as we did at Thanksgiving." Kent looked at Charisma. "I'm sorry your friends couldn't make it. I really like them."

Charisma shrugged. "Me too. But I don't blame them for not wanting to make that quick of a turnaround either... especially not with Saphira's job." Charisma turned to Okasa. "I know Matilda is trying to help them out by giving Saphira as many hours as she can, but...."

"It's not ours to question, Daughter. And didn't you say Saphira worked doubles the entire time Es was out sick?"

"Yes, she did. But wouldn't that be a good reason to cut Saphira a little slack now?"

"They may not be able to afford it yet, Charisma. As sick as Es was purported to be, I imagine that wracked up some pretty hefty medical bills. And they don't either one strike me as the type to take charity willingly."

"No I don't think they are," Charisma agreed grudgingly. She turned back to Kent. "Where's your mother, by the way? Mama said something about London?"

Kent opened his mouth to explain and Okasa just watched them, struck by how independent of one another they appeared to be living their lives. She secretly wondered if they actually shared anything other than Adam's parentage. They did seem to care for one another, though, and enjoy each other's company. Kent said something wry and made a face, and they laughed. Charisma put her hand on his shoulder as they continued the conversation and Okasa wondered if Brianna's leaving had made Charisma decide to put more of an effort into her marriage. Then they both turned and looked at her with questioning expressions.

"What?"

"That's what we were wondering," Charisma replied. "You were staring at us with the most peculiar countenance."

"I wasn't actually looking at anything specific," Okasa denied. "I was just thinking."

"About...?" Kent drawled.

Okasa sighed. At least she could remind them that they had asked. "I was just wondering where Brianna was. Whenever she left before, I always knew where she was going and when she'd be back, but this time...."

"You know she'll be back in time for Congress to reconvene - she has to."

"That's when she'll be back in Washington, Charisma. I don't think she's coming back here again."

"Do you know why she left?" Kent asked, curious beyond words to know what he'd missed in his absence.

"She didn't say, and I didn't have the opportunity to ask," Okasa replied truthfully - not adding she was fairly confident what lay behind the defection. Kent nodded his acceptance of her words.

"I hope she'll surprise you and come home soon, Okasa. She seemed like good people to me. And I won't forget how she always kept an eye on Adam when he was around."

About that time, Ame and Adam walked in from the backyard and Adam took off like a shot as soon as he saw Kent. "PA!" he exclaimed. Kent knelt down to receive the hug Adam offered, then swooped him up into his arms.

"Brr!!" Kent said, rubbing their noses together. "You're cold, Boy!"

"Cold outside, Pa. Come play?"

"Let me go grab my coat and you can ride the Big Wheel for me, all right?" Adam nodded wildly, causing laughter to race around the room. Ame stepped up and took him from Kent.

"I'll take him potty while you get ready, Mr. Rockwell. It's why we came in to begin with."

"All right. I'll be ready in a minute." He turned to Charisma. "You coming?"

"Maybe in a few," shaking her head. "You two should have a little father/son time first.

"Okay... you know where to find us when you're ready."

"I certainly do."


Chapter LXXV

"Hail! Hail! The gang's all here!" Ruby singsonged when Mal and Indi crossed the threshold together. They each took a mug of the hot chocolate that Ruby offered them before finding a seat on the floor in the living room where everyone else was gathered.

"Jade is keeping an eye on Kent and Charisma?" They both nodded and Esmeralda turned to Opal with a smile. "Who lost the toss?" Opal chuckled.

"Neither, actually. But since I'm with Brianna during a majority of her waking hours...."

"Fair enough. All right, the reason I called you all here is because I think you all need to be made aware of what's happened in that past few days. It's very likely this assignment will be ending soon." Gasps echoed around the room and the angels looked at one another before everyone's attention refocused on Esmeralda.

"Are you sure, Es?" Amber asked. "Have you heard from Him?"

Esmeralda shook her head. "No. But the way things have played out, I am making an educated guess." She held up her hand to stop the murmurs and muttering before it started. "Let me bring you up to date, and then you can tell me what you think."

So she told them - of Kent's filing for separation papers; of Charisma's discovery about Brianna's feelings and her possession of the letters; of Brianna's defection from the Tagherty's lives.

"So this is serious then," Ruby commented. "It really is the end. But... then why hasn't He called us home to file our reports on this case?"